Then and Now

[GentleTiger 0]

Hi folks,

As many of you know, I'm coming back from a broken back from a flubbed landing. I've got about 40 jumps now since the injury, and today, the same thing happened...I flared too high, and was lifted considerably off the ground (by about 10 feet I'd say) and then just dropped.

The last time it happened, I let up on the toggles, the canopy lunged forward and I pendulummed into the ground, doing the old reliable butt-slide...
that's what broke my back and lost me 1 3/4 inches in height.

This time, I held the flare and PLF'd. It save my ass bigtime.

SO, practice PLF's...I did it jumping off of swings in playgrounds, and hold that flare (unless your 50 feet above ground and can get some speed back into your canopy for a proper flare.

I am so proud of the difference between then, and now...I've learned so much from these forums, as well as the instructors at Mile Hi, who have allowed me to ask my gazillion questions and answered them so patiently with their experience and wisdom.

I could never speak highly enough of the staff at Mile Hi...it's because of you all that I learned and walked away from this jump with a very happy and full heart.

Blue Skies Always to you,
Tiger

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Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a tiger in the sky!! Throw down some steaks and run for the hills!!!

[mjosparky 3]

Yesterday I got a sink rate going on my canopy doing a steep approach. Due to traffic, I aborted, but to late. I could not kill the sink in time and did a PLF. It saved this old man from a sure trip to the hospital. I was able to get up, dust off and walk away. Sore as hell today but nothing broken.

When in doubt, set up for a PLF and eat some pride.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[sundevil777 94]

Remember that when you flare too high up like that, easing up on the toggles a LITTLE bit, and then 'milking' the flare as you sink in that last few/several feet might be better than just holding your toggles where they are. It all depends on how deep you flared (how close to stalling you are), and how high you are when you realize you screwed up.

People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

[ltdiver 3]

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Yesterday I got a sink rate going on my canopy doing a steep approach. Due to traffic, I aborted, but to late. I could not kill the sink in time and did a PLF. It saved this old man from a sure trip to the hospital. I was able to get up, dust off and walk away. Sore as hell today but nothing broken.

When in doubt, set up for a PLF and eat some pride.

Sparky

Good job, old man.

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[JohnMitchell 14]

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The last time it happened, I let up on the toggles, the canopy lunged forward and I pendulummed into the ground, doing the old reliable butt-slide...
that's what broke my back and lost me 1 3/4 inches in height.

Welcome back. Remember, butt slides are for when you have lots of forward speed but little vertical. When you have a good rate of descent, you need to absorb that energy with a good PLF, as you well know now. If you have a lot of speed both vertically and horizontally, looks like you downsized too quickly.

[freeryde13 0]

i've got a question. where can i learn a plf and practice it? i got great raining and all, but the plf was explained, not practiced. i had one of airport landing and scapped my hand one the grond when a plf would've left my unscathed.

and closely related is.... do most training programs practice plfs or just explain them?

thanks in advance for any help on this.

_________________________________________

people see me as a challenge to their balance

[MarkM 0]

I've been through a couple training programs, some teached and practiced it, some only taught it, some didn't even do that. I'm really glad a couple of my early instructors had me practice it. It's saved me from bad injury once.

Just find an instructor at the DZ, have them explain it to you and watch you try it a couple times jumping off a table or something onto grass.

[airsykchick 0]

I would suggest, along with some hands-on training at your DZ, that you puchase the skydivers bible and read it over and over. This book is called "The Skydiver's Handbook", and it's a really in depth ground school guide with pictures. This book can be found on this website under the classifieds. Make sure you get the newest version, as some of the older versions reference older style canopies and rigs, not typically seen on DZ's these days. The authors are really great and will even sign your book for you with some words of encouragement!!!

Good luck and remember - the more you learn about this sport on the ground - the more time you will be able to spend in the air!

"From the air things look so rediculous; our fears so small, our fights so vain...
I wanna pilot a plane with you, so all our problems look small too."

[ChileRelleno 0]

Well done Tiger, ya saved some pain. You obvisously learned your lesson well, learning
lesson the hard way tends to ingrain it.

ChileRelleno-Rodriguez Bro#414
Hellfish#511,MuffBro#3532,AnvilBro#9, D24868

[wmw999 2,149]

Woohoo! I'm the world's biggest advocate of good PLF training -- personally, I think the butt-slide is an advanced maneuver, and by and large shouldn't be done by newbies. But that's another argument!

That said, great job -- isn't it nice to get back up and walk away?

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[BIGUN 1,073]

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I'm the world's biggest advocate of good PLF training

Wanna bet?

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[wmw999 2,149]

Show-off . Just 'cause you're taller.
A lot taller.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[airtwardo 6]

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When in doubt, set up for a PLF and drink some beer.

Sparky

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That's your answer to EVERYTHING!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[mjosparky 3]

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When in doubt, set up for a PLF and drink some beer.

Sparky

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That's your answer to EVERYTHING!

Hey, quit putting words in my mouth, but beer in my mouth. Or maybe some Kettle on the rocks.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[flyangel2 2]

I'll be sure there is beer near you and in your mouth next time I'm out to Perris
Glad you are okay.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[mjosparky 3]

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I'll be sure there is beer near you and in your mouth next time I'm out to Perris
Glad you are okay.

Thank you darlin!

To quote Jim Woolley, "He's tougher than woodpecker lips".
Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[wuffo 1]

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i've got a question. where can i learn a plf and practice it?

How about joining the Army and sign up for jump school. Guaranteed plf practice, more than you can imagine.

[AndyMan 7]

If you did not practice a PLF, you did not get "great" training.

Ask your instructors to take you through practice PLF's, and keep doing them until it comes naturally.


_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[Scrumpot 1]

Maybe jumping something other than an old 3-30 (+) CFM sharpchuter every now & then would help you out there too, old man!

I'll be happy to put a beer in your hands the next trip out. It's up to you to get it to your lips and in your mouth yourself though, I'm afraid.

Keep PLF'ing and remember you're always only as young as you feel!

Blue Skies,
-Grant

coitus non circum - Moab Stone

[inextremis 0]

You might consider doing some weak side and backwards PLFs. Everyone "favors" one side for PLFs. Get past that and do them on the side you don't favor. Then do several jumping backwards. Learning backwards PLFs will help prevent head injuries from the "feet-ass-head" landing after stalls or in high winds, and it will also help prevent the "dislocated elbow" injuries some people sustain after an accidental stall. All this has been standard stuff for military jumpers for many years.

[mjosparky 3]

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Maybe jumping something other than an old 3-30 (+) CFM sharpchuter every now & then would help you out there too, old man!

I'll be happy to put a beer in your hands the next trip out. It's up to you to get it to your lips and in your mouth yourself though, I'm afraid.

Keep PLF'ing and remember you're always only as young as you feel!

Blue Skies,
-Grant

Hey, my new one only has about 200 or so jumps on it. Besides, I can't run fast enough to land those pocket rockets.

I will hold you to that beer. If I can get my hands on it, I can get it to my mouth. Well most of the time.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[slug 1]

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I've been through a couple training programs, some teached and practiced it, some only taught it, some didn't even do that. I'm really glad a couple of my early instructors had me practice it. It's saved me from bad injury once.

Just find an instructor at the DZ, have them explain it to you and watch you try it a couple times jumping off a table or something onto grass.

Grass? wait for windy or cloud day drive P.U. to pea gravel pit to practice PLF's . Use tailgate of P.U. for jump platform. Grass can hurt pea gravel will get you dusty unless it's frozen.

R.I.P.